Entrevista con Luis Camnitzer // Interview with Luis Camnitzer

The work and artistic thought of Uruguayan artist Luis Camnitzer (Lübeck, Germany, 1937) are based on a comprehensive ethical consciousness, which, for this US-based artist, gives meaning to artistic creation in its social context. In his 1987 essay "Access to the Mainstream," Camnitzer writes: "First and foremost, we are ethical beings who differentiate between good and evil, just and unjust, not only at the individual level but also in communal contexts (...). Art becomes the instrument we choose to put these strategies into practice." This interview reviews the main ideas of Camnitzer's conceptualism, harkening back to the radicalism of his early work in the New York Graphic Workshop (NYGW) collective, based on ephemeral word-based works. It also opens the door to general reflections on his artistic media and the concepts of ethics and education that he clearly links to creative activity. A special chapter is dedicated to the idea of ​​violence and to a fundamental work like Masacre de Puerto Montt (1969), which belongs to the Museum's collection. In this work, Camnitzer addresses political content through signs, words, and geometry, placing the viewer within the work so that, instead of passive consumption, they are forced to experience the "field of knowledge." // The work and thinking of Luis Camnitzer (Lübeck, Germany, 1937) is anchored in a comprehensive ethical awareness, which, for this US-based Uruguayan artist, gives meaning to artistic creation in his social context. In his 1987 essay "Access to the Mainstream," Camnitzer writes: "We're primarily ethical beings who can tell right from wrong, fair from unfair, not only as individuals but in community contexts (…) Art becomes the instrument of choice for implementing these strategies." This interview looks over Camnitzer's main ideas of Conceptualism, going back to the radicalism of his early work with the New York Graphic Workshop (NYGW) collective – grounded in ephemeral, word-based works – and elicits general reflections on his artistic mediums and the concepts of ethics and education that are patently linked to his creative activity. A special section is devoted to the idea of ​​violence and a key work, Puerto Montt Massacre (1969), which belongs to the Museo's Collection. In the work, Camnitzer approaches political content through signs, words and geometry, placing the spectator inside the work so that, rather than passively consuming it, they are forced to experiment in the “field of knowledge.” More information: https://www.museoreinasofia.es/activi... October 17, 2018 - March 4, 2019 Reina Sofía Museum _______________ Visit our website: https://www.museoreinasofia.es Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.museoreinasofia.es/public... Twitter:   / museoreinasofia   Instagram:   / museoreinasofia   Facebook:   / museoreinasofia